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Canto 9 · Liberation · 24 chapters

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How to study this verse, in six steps
  1. 1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
  2. 2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
  3. 3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
  4. 4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
  5. 5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
  6. 6Write down what touched you. Note the main points in your own notebook.
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Canto 9 · Chapter 16: Lord Paraśurāma Destroys the World’s Ruling Class
9.16.159.16.17

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 9.16.16

Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devotees
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Śukadeva Gosvāmīsince 9.16.1inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

विलप्यैवं पितुर्देहं निधाय भ्रातृषु स्वयम् ।

प्रगृह्य परशुं राम: क्षत्रान्ताय मनो दधे ॥ १६ ॥

vilapyaivaṁ pitur dehaṁ

nidhāya bhrātṛṣu svayam

pragṛhya paraśuṁ rāmaḥ

kṣatrāntāya mano dadhe

Translation

Thus lamenting, Lord Paraśurāma entrusted his father’s dead body to his brothers and personally took up his axe, having decided to put an end to all the kṣatriyas on the surface of the world.

Read this verse on Vedabase.io

This verse has no purport; its meaning is explained by the verses around it.

1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Paraśurāma Entrusts His Father to His Brothers

  1. 1

    Lord Paraśurāma lamented over his father’s death.

  2. 2

    He entrusted his father’s dead body to his brothers.

  3. 3

    He personally took up his axe, having decided to put an end to all the kṣatriyas on the surface of the world.

How it feels

Longing and conflict → Detachment and justice. Dynastic episodes explore personal desire and force.

Chapters 13–17 of Canto 9: Nimi, Purūravā and Paraśurāma. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 16: Lord Paraśurāma Destroys the World’s Ruling Class

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

When Paraśurāma returned to the āśrama and saw his father killed, he was very sorry, and after asking his brothers to take care of the dead body, he went out with determination to kill all the kṣatriyas on the surface of the world. Taking up his axe, he went to Māhiṣmatī-pura, the capital of Kārtavīryārjuna, and killed all of Kārtavīryārjuna’s sons, whose blood became a great river.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 9.16
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. vilapyalamenting
  2. evamlike this
  3. pituḥof his father
  4. dehamthe body
  5. nidhāyaentrusting
  6. bhrātṛṣuto his brothers
  7. svayampersonally
  8. pragṛhyataking
3

Key ideas in this verse

The subject this verse serves and the themes it speaks of.

  • Īśānukathā · The science of God

    Who is the Lord, and how do His devotees live? · Subject 7 of 10

  • Viraha · Longing in separation

    Love and remembrance experienced in apparent absence. · Theme in SB 9.16

    In this verse: “lamenting”, “lamented”

  • Vātsalya · Parental affection

    Affection and protective concern for the Lord as a child. · Theme in SB 9.16

    In this verse: “father’s”

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

    Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 9.16

    In this verse: “death”

Chapter themes come from the story phase this chapter belongs to.

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What responsibility for caring for others can I share with someone I trust?

Practice

Coordinate one small family responsibility with a trusted person today.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayParaśurāma Entrusts His Father to His BrothersThis verse's lesson: one practice and one question for today

Study points are short summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport on Vedabase.

Ask the BhāgavatamHave a question about SB 9.16.16? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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